Responsibility
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: 16 year old Matthew copes with the loss of his mother, anger for his father, rebellion against Doctor Mike and the responsiblity of raising Colleen and Brian. ONE SHOT! Actual story!


We have been with Doctor Mike for several weeks now. I'm still having a hard time believing that Ma's gone. Everybody always says Colleen has Ma's look and Brian has her smile, so I still have part of her with me, but that's not the same as her truly being here. When Pa left it wasn't much of a surprise. Ma's leaving us was truly something none of us expected—not even Doctor Mike. We probably would be fine if Pa hadn't left us when Brian was young. I don't blame Brian for Pa's leaving, but I must say I do hate Ethan Cooper. He is NOT my father. Doctor Mike took us in and I'm grateful for that, but she is not my Ma. I do think she was jealous of Miss Olive, but what she doesn't realize is that Miss Olive was Ma's best friend. Brian calls her Ma and that irks me because our Ma is dead. Pa ran off, Ma died, and that leaves me to raise Colleen and Brian. Colleen is thirteen and Brian is six. I never imagined I would be taking care of them at sixteen years old. I have been seeing Ingrid for a while now, and we have talked about when we have a family; but we are waiting until we are old enough and ready to be together for the rest of our lives. I don't want to end up like my Pa. Brian is too young not to have his Ma and Pa; even though he's taken Doctor Mike as his mother. The door to the barn opened and I looked towards it. There stood Colleen.

"Matthew? Doctor Mike said it's time for dinner. Are you going to eat?" Colleen asked and I nodded.

"I'm coming Colleen." She turned and walked towards the door. She stopped and turned around. She pulled the strand of hair out of her mouth that had blown up there. She smiled.

"I helped her make dinner, so it will be safer and better for us to eat." Colleen paused. "Sully is here already." She rushed into the house and I slowly followed her to the house. Sully, what can I say about him? Brian looks up to him and we live in his house. His wife died last year and he joined the life of the Cheyenne Indians to get away from it all. Brian is also a Cheyenne lover. They are okay with me. I don't know them very well. They haven't done anything to me and Ma was always nice to them. I walked into the house. Brian was sitting at the table rambling off and Doctor Mike was working on the food.

"Hi Matthew." Brian said and waved. Doctor Mike and Colleen looked at me.

"Matthew." Doctor Mike said with a nod. I watched her walk across the floor in a dress that could have been worn in Boston instead of Colorado Springs. But she's from a well-to-do family. Her father was a doctor before he died and so I imagine she's used to the finer things in life. There isn't much "finer" stuff here in Colorado Springs. I sat down at the table. Doctor Mike and Colleen brought over the food in bowls. They sat down in their respected places. Brian picked up his fork and Colleen put her hand on his wrist.

"No Brian. We say grace first." Colleen scolded. Brian looked down at the table.

"I forgot." He looked right at Doctor Mike when he said that. His pitiful look would be hard to say no to.

"It's quite alright." Doctor Mike replied with a chuckle and a smile. Colleen took Doctor Mike's hand and then Doctor Mike took mine. I looked at Sully and we mutually agreed with our eyes that we wouldn't hold hands. Brian was different because he's younger. But not me. Doctor Mike said grace and we started eating.

I love my family, even if it's just me, Brian and Colleen. Doctor Mike and Sully make our lives more colorful. Colleen took a bite.

"Well, when's the next time you are going to have Ingrid over for dinner?" Colleen asked me. I stared at her. That's none of her business.

"Colleen!" Doctor Mike exclaimed.

"Well, I think it's a fine question." Sully looked at me. I sat back. Ignoring Sully wouldn't be as easy as ignoring Colleen's question. I sighed.

"I don't know."

"Well you two are talking about marriage aren't you?" Doctor Mike asked now getting involved in the conversation. I paused.

"Well yeah, of course." I stated.

"Then, shouldn't she come by for dinner?" Doctor Mike asked and then took a bite of food.

"I don't know." I exclaimed. With that I stood up and walked outside. I hate it when Colleen and Brian do that to me. Colleen asked one question and that put me in the trap forever. Who cares if and when I ask Ingrid to have dinner with me? I wish they would leave me alone. I wish everybody would just let me be.


End file.
